Thanks for the Memories
by JadedPhoenixBurning
Summary: When you live in Hazzard County, not to mention a Duke Boy, you are never more than one car accident away from losing everything. But sometimes losing everything is how you have the joy of finding it all over again.
1. Chapter 1

Kira Duke shifted her five year old daughter from one hip to the other while listening to Rosco announcing the latest results for the race over the megaphone. Her husband was participating in a charity race along with her brother and oldest cousin. As a group of racers sped past the Boar's Nest Kira made sure that her daughter was able to get a glimpse of both her father's as well as her uncles' cars before they disappeared around the bend once more. When the cars returned the race would be over. Then she could get the kids home since Crystal needed her nap. Of course getting the boys home will be up to Jebb since they were always allowed to hang out with the men at the garage for a while after each race. At eight the twins were more interested in hanging out with the men in the family, doing things that they may or may not be allowed to do elsewhere.

Fortunately, Kira didn't think that she'd have to worry about her husband or the rest of the men doing anything that they shouldn't while the boys were with them. Even if their methods weren't exactly hers. She knew for a fact that Mikey had gotten a taste of beer when he pestered Cooter for some during one of the Saturday mornings at the garage that they'd gotten to tag along to as a reward for getting all of their chores done all week without having to be reminded too much. Her oldest had shown a bit too much curiosity in the drink that the men were all drinking while enjoying the weekly breakfast of doughnuts so Cooter had taken it upon himself to teach the boy that he wasn't old enough to enjoy the beverage. From what Kira could tell by listening to her husband tell the tale, her son had gagged and spat the drink back out all over the floor of the garage. Just seeing his older brother's reaction had prevented Jay from deciding to join in on the taste test.

Glancing around, Kira caught sight of Kim with Daisy's son, Jimmy. Daisy was working at the bar so, as was custom, Kim had volunteered to watch the young boy when his mother was busy. Kim had become a second mother for the young boy and Bo was very much like a father to him. Kira was sure that at times Daisy still worried about her son since she was a single mother after Darcy's death while she was still pregnant but at the same time her son had so many good male role models that she knew that he'd always have a man to talk to when he needed one.

Beside Kim sat Luke's wife and his little girl. Jo and Kim became the best of friends nearly from the moment each of them had moved to town; especially while Kim was the former Marine's doctor during her pregnancy with her and Luke's daughter, Faith. The young girl with dark curls was running around with her older cousins never far from one of the adults in the Duke family or another. In fact, Kira knew that Jesse intentionally had set up his game of checkers with one of the other men in town in an area where he'd be able to see if the younger Dukes wandered too far from their parents.

As the reports of the next lap came in from overhead, Kira listened as Rosco reported that the General Lee had just passed the fourth checkpoint along with a car being driven by one of the younger men in town. One that, in Kira's opinion, confused reckless behavior with talent. Now she knew that she'd done the same when she was younger and less experienced; but to be honest, she had felt that she had no reason to worry about getting hurt and she certainly had never worried about anyone else at the time. Being a bit older and wiser, the knowledge that someone like that was out racing her brother and husband grated on her nerves.

Bo seemed to be holding his own, though. At the next check-in his lead had grown just a bit more and it was clear that he'd be returning to the old roadhouse several seconds ahead of the rest of the racers. Next, Kira heard it reported that Cooter was giving the young driver a run for his money but one thing was definitely wrong. For the second update in a row she heard no mention of her husband at all.

When the leading cars could be heard pulling up toward the Boar's Nest Kira's concern deepened. As she made her way toward the finish line, she kept trying to listen for the Stonewall Jackson above the sounds of the exuberance of the race's spectators. When she got to where her brother and cousin each were embracing their wives she asked the one question that was at the forefront of her mind.

"Where's Jebb?"

"Ain't he here?" Bo turned about while looking for his cousin as Luke did the same; each noticing for the first time that he hadn't crossed the finished line along with the rest of the racers.

"No," Kira answered her brother before adding, "and he never showed up at any of the checkpoints after the second one."

With only a glance between the two, the cousins hopped back into the General Lee and took back off in search of their missing kin. Bo took a shortcut back to the second checkpoint where Jebb had last been seen. In the stretch between the second and third checkpoints there were several bends in the road along with divots and ditches but nothing Jebb couldn't navigate past in his sleep. From what Luke could remember, it had been during this particular stretch that the newer racer had taken Jebb's third place run and had begun to challenge Cooter for second. He did his best to remember just when he'd last seen his cousin but with all of the excitement of the race it all just seemed to be a blur. Instead he decided to watch the tire tracks to see if they gave any clue as to what had happened on the track less than an hour before. When he came to a couple of sets that looked to have been competing fiercely against one another Bo slowed the car down and pulled over to the side of the road so that he and his older cousin could get a better look.

"What do you make of them?" Bo asked as he knelt down to get a better look at the tracks.

Luke followed one set of tracks while his cousin examined the other. As he neared the deep ravine on one side of the road his eyes scanned the brush below. "Bo, over here."

Luke began to follow the broken brush down until he finally saw a glimpse of the blue Charger that belonged to the missing Duke Boy. As he got closer he saw that the left side of the car was crushed against a tree.

"Luke!"

"I see it. Head back up to the General and call for Cooter and for an ambulance. And hurry."

As he approached the passenger side of the car Luke peered into the window and saw his cousin slumped across the steering wheel. His blond hair bloodied from his head smashing into the steering wheel. Opening the door, Luke leaned in and checked for his cousin's pulse. He had a hard time finding one but eventually he found one. It was a bit thready and weak but it was there. He was then left to wait for Bo who told him that not only was Cooter on his way but he was bringing both Kim and Kira with him and the ambulance would be right behind him. The kids were being left with Jo and Jesse to watch.

Luke knew that neither of the women would have been able to stay back once learning of Jebb's wreck. Kira being his wife, was sure to be worried for her husband after learning of the accident that sent him down into the ravine. Kim, being a doctor, would be quick to come to aid of her brother-in-law. In no time at all the wrecker and ambulance pulled up behind where the fellas had left the General Lee. Before Wilbur and his partner could get the back board out of the ambulance both Duke Women were stumbling down toward the men with Cooter at their heels.

"How's Jebb?" Kira asked just before she saw the side of the car crumpled around a tree. "Oh God!"

"Easy. He'll be alright. Luke checked him out as much as he could. Let Kim and Wilbur take it from here but he'll be alright."

Bo put an arm around his sister as they stepped back to let the others work together to get Jebb safely out of the car and up the ravine toward the ambulance. Once the whole group was back up at the road Kim told Kira that she'd ride with Jebb to keep a check on him during the ride. It would be best if she followed in behind with the fellas. Before Kira could mount a protest Wilbur helped Kim up and shut the door to the back of the ambulance.

"I'll let Uncle Jesse know that we'll be heading to the hospital." Luke walked over to the orange stock car and pulled out the mic for the CB. Jesse assured him that the kids were fine with him and Jo and told Luke to let him know just as soon as he had word on Jebb's condition.

The three cousins then climbed into the General Lee and followed in behind the ambulance while leaving Cooter behind to start working on pulling out the Stonewall Jackson out of the ravine. Once at the hospital each of them were forced to stay behind in the waiting room until Kim came out to tell her family members of her brother-in-law's condition.

"He's not awake yet. We've had to give him a couple of stitches from where he got just a bit to intimate with the steering wheel which also caused a fracture in his left cheekbone. He likely will have a concussion but we won't know for sure until he wakes up. In addition, he'll have some sore ribs; two of them are broken but several are bruised. He was lucky that he didn't end up with any internal injuries."

"Yea, real lucky," Kira muttered. "If he'd really been lucky he wouldn't be here."

Kim gave her sister-in-law a look of sympathy before telling her what room Jebb had been taken up to so that she could sit with him while waiting for him to wake up. Over the next several hours various friends and family members joined Kira while keeping a vigil in his hospital room. When night fell she reluctantly left her husband's side to be with her children. Bo volunteered to stay with Jebb overnight and promised that he'd let her know the instant that there was any change in his condition.

When Kira got home her sons and daughter were all waiting for her to find out how their father was. Kira did her best to slap on a convincing smile as she told them that he was fine before she walked over to gather her youngest up in her arms. It was well past Crystal's bedtime but she'd wanted to stay up with her brothers. Kira thanked Jesse for watching the kids and could tell that he wanted to ask things that he'd not dare ask in front of the children. Instead he gave each of them hugs and promised that he'd see them in the morning and left the mother to take care of her small brood.

Once all of the kids were in their own beds Kira went to her room and let the stress of the day wash over her. She wished that she knew that Jebb was going to be alright. She knew for her children's sake she couldn't let them know just how terrified she still felt hours after seeing their father hunched over the steering wheel of the family car that Jebb liked to race when he could.

Perhaps for the first time in years Kira felt the uncertainty of everything weighing her down. When she saw Jebb bloodied and limp in the car she had been certain that she'd already lost him. While waiting for him to wake up she had almost nothing to think about than what would have happened if he hadn't survived the accident. How would she be able to make it through life without him? Her rock and steady hand? The one who had not let her push him away when she'd been convinced that she couldn't depend on anyone to not abandon her after a lifetime of not being able to count on anyone for the majority of her life.

Sitting on the bed, Kira grabbed Jebb's pillow off of the bed and held it tight as she allowed the emotion-filled tears that she had been holding back since the afternoon to finally flow in hot rivers down her cheeks. Tears that she'd rarely let anyone else see. Tears that she rarely allowed to show themselves at all.

* * *

The next day Kira was sitting in Jebb's hospital room once more and waited in a silence that both irritated and frightened her. She had called his parents earlier in the morning and promised to call them the moment that she had any news. She then pulled out her bag with some files for a case that she had going to trial over in Hatchapee next week. It was nothing major, really. Just an incident where a few men had gotten into a dispute with one another after a bit too much beer at the local roadhouse of the county. She really didn't need to read over the information again but she felt that if she didn't do something that she'd go out of her mind. As she was putting one file down in favor of another she glanced over at Jebb only to be greeted with clear signs of him trying to wake up.

"It's about damn time," Kira muttered in relief. She then moved closer to the bed and watched as Jebb's pained expression took in the sight of the room.

"How'd I end up here?" Jebb asked since the hospital looked different than any he could remember.

"You got a little too up close and personal with a tree during the race yesterday." Now that Jebb was awake it felt as if the weight of the whole world had been lifted from her shoulders. "From what Bo and Luke told me, it looked as if that newcomer may have ran you off of the road."

"Bo and Luke?" Jebb thought hard as he heard his cousins mentioned.

"They'll be by later." Kira smiled knowing that the other men would be nearly as relieved as she was to know that Jebb was awake and appeared to be just fine. "I'd better go let a nurse know that you're awake. I know that Kim planned to come check on you pretty soon, too."

With that Kira rushed out of the room to go in search of a nurse. She came across her sister-in-law instead. Kim told her that she'd go and see Jebb and get a few tests lined up that she'd wanted to wait for once he was awake. In the meantime, she expected Kira to head down to the cafeteria since she knew dang well that she hadn't hardly eaten since the accident. Reluctantly Kira agreed since she would rather not be left alone in the hospital room while Jebb was out for his scans.

Kim headed to Jebb's room and went on in to get a look at her patient. When she did she noticed that he looked to be a bit confused. "Jebb, how's the head?"

Jebb raised a hand to his head where he could tell he had stitches instinctively before shrugging. "Hurts like hell but I'm guessin' that there's a good reason for that."

"I'd say so. Now I'm going to just ask some basic questions so we know where to start today. Alright?"

"Alright."

"First, can you tell me where you are?"

Jebb scoffed just a bit at the question. "A hospital."

"Right. But can you tell me which one?"

Jebb glanced around the room for a clue but couldn't see one. He knew that the hospital didn't look like the one in his hometown of Placid. The last that he could remember he had been heading to Atlanta for a race. But the woman who had been in his room when he woke up had mentioned a tree. Had the race been an off road one? Or maybe he and his friends had arranged for a street race after the Motocross. But she'd also mentioned Luke and he couldn't have been there. He was on the other side of the world.

"Atlanta?" Jebb guessed but knew right away that he'd been wrong by the look that crossed the nurse's face.

"Jebb, do you know who the president is? What year is it?"

Those questions caused him to laugh outright. "1975 and it's Gerald Ford. Have any other obvious questions that you want to ask me?"

"I see." After a few more baseline questions Kim's brows furled in concern at Jebb's answers. "I'm going to go ahead and get some tests scheduled and then I'll be right back."

Kim headed toward the nurses' station and gave the orders to the charge nurse before making her way toward the cafeteria where she knew that her sister-in-law was waiting for her. When she found her she could barely make herself join Kira at the table where she was eating a sandwich of some sort that she'd gotten for her lunch. Kim braced herself for what she needed to tell the other Duke.

"So, how is he? Is he going to be alright?"

"Well, he's having a CAT scan right now but there is something that we need to discuss."

Kira saw the seriousness in Kim's face and instantly became concerned. "What? Why? What's wrong?"

Kim bit her lip as she tried to figure out just how she was going to tell the other woman that her husband had just lost nearly twenty years of his life. "Well, first, I should say that this may not be permanent-"

"What's not permanent? What's wrong?"

"After asking Jebb some questions it seems that he's lost some of his memory. Now like I said, it may just be temporary but right now we really don't have a way of knowing that."

"His memory? So what? He can't remember the race?"

"It's a little bit more than just the race, Kira."

"How little bit more?" Kira asked as she crossed her arms.

"He, uh, he can't remember anything after 1975. He thinks it's the summer that he was sixteen. After looking up his medical records it looks like he had a motorcycle accident right around then. It could be that this recent trauma has triggered a latent injury that he'd sustained way back then."

"He what? 1975? We hadn't even met yet in 1975!" Kira took in fact that her husband now had no idea of who she was. Hell, he had no idea that he was a grown man with his own family. "The kids! How am I going to tell them that their dad doesn't know who they are?"

"Well, hopefully this won't last long-"

"But if it does?"

"All I can say is that we'll need to take this slow. It's going to be hard on Jebb when he realizes just how much of his life he's missed."

"So what do we do now?" Kira asked while feeling that her entire life had been turned upside down in a way she hadn't thought possible.


	2. Chapter 2

Jebb waited for the woman that he'd assumed was the nurse to return after he was finished with the testing that had been ordered after he woke up. Instead of the nurse, however, the next person who walked into his room was his Uncle Jesse. He looked a bit different; his hair looked just a bit lighter and thinner but there was no doubt that he was his uncle.

"Uncle Jesse, am I glad to see you. I've been trying to figure out just how I ended up in here."

Jesse nodded and went to sit down next to his nephew's bed. "So I've heard. I asked Kim to let me talk to you before she came back in to explain what's going to happen now."

"Kim?"

Jesse saw his nephew's confusion so he added, "She's the doctor who asked you the questions before you went for your scans. In fact, she's a bit more than just a doctor; she's family."

Jebb's confusion deepened. He couldn't remember there being anyone in the family who was a doctor. In fact, no one in the family had even ever gone off to college.

"I know that things seem a bit strange. Your accident has affected your memory. In the coming days, things are going to be a bit overwhelming but it will all be alright."

"My memory?"

Jesse nodded before he pulled out a photo album that he'd brought with him. After flipping it open he put it on the roll-out table that was across Jebb's bed. "Right here is when you wrecked your motorcycle. You got a pretty good bump on the head and broke your leg just before harvest season that year."

"That year?" Jebb stared hard at the picture of himself that he couldn't remember posing for.

"That was 1975," Jesse stated gently. He turned the page and showed a few more snapshots that had been taken before Jebb had returned home after his visit to the family farm in Hazzard.

"It isn't still 1975?"

"No," Jesse said with sympathy as he watched Jebb turn a few more pages of events that he had no memory of. When Jebb came across a few other pictures that Jesse had handpicked for the album he watched silently as his nephew took in the life that he no longer could remember.

"Luke? He's out of the Marines?" Jebb asked as he saw pictures of his cousin who had been sent off to Vietnam. Relief was clear on his face when he realized that his cousin made it home safe and sound.

"Yep. That there is a picture of the party that we had waiting for him the moment he got off of the bus. That was a day that we'd counted down to for so long. I don't think any of us slept a decent night the entire time that he was out of the country."

Jebb flipped a few more pages past photos of his and the other blond Duke Boys' graduations from high school. There were pictures from the funeral for Coy's parents which felt like a kick to the gut only to be replaced by happier memories. Some even depicting races that his cousins had won as well as some that he had apparently been the victor of. That was when he saw a few pictures where someone he didn't know but looked familiar all the same began to pop up. There was a girl who looked much like the woman who had been in his room when he'd first woke up this morning.

"Who's that?"

"That's Kira," Jesse responded but waited for Jebb to continue to look through the album. When he made his way to a photo taken just one county over the surprise was clear on his face.

"We're married?"

"Yes. I'll never forget the day I first asked you about your relationship with her. I've never seen any two people more meant for one another. You actually defied your mother to marry her."

"I did? Why?" Jebb stared at the picture while trying to recall the woman that his uncle claimed that he loved. In the photograph it certainly looked like it.

"Let's just say that she and your mother took a while to really end up on the same page. Things are always a bit more interesting when Pauline and Kira are in the same room." Jesse chuckled as he remembered some incidences from his niece and nephew's earlier years of their marriage.

When Jebb turned the page once more he was given another surprise. In the picture he could see himself standing between two hospital bassinets. He was holding a small infant and a nurse was standing beside him with another.

"Your mother took that picture right after she realized that you and Kira had twins. Both of you had kept that a closely guarded secret. She'd bet you that you'd spill the beans before the kids were born so of course you had to rise to the challenge," Jesse said while bypassing the not so pleasant aspects of that day.

"So you are saying that I've got two babies at the house? That I'm a dad?"

"They are a bit bigger now. And both the spitting image of you when you were young. They tend to get into a bit of trouble together but nothing that you haven't been able to handle, so far. You've become a great dad."

"What are their names?" Jebb asked still just a bit shell-shocked. How could he be a father and forget his kids? His wife?

"Michael and Jonathan. Mikey and Jay for short. Bo actually was the one to shorten their names when they were little. And they love their Uncle Bo."

"You aren't going to tell me that Bo is a dad now, too, are you?"

"No," Jesse said simply, yet somehow mournfully at the same time.

Jebb continued to look through a few snap shots that showed that he appeared to be a happy family man. Jesse would explain the pictures as Jebb asked about each one of them while trying his best to remember each event. He then turned a page to find what looked to be Luke's wedding day. He and all of his cousins were standing by his side along with a gorgeous blonde. He looked over each of the people in the picture and saw how they had aged from the last time he could remember them. Even his parents in the picture looked differently. Beside Daisy and the woman that his uncle had told him was his wife were two young girls that according to the names listed below the picture were his baby sisters. How could they have gone from being infants to young girls on the edge of becoming teenagers?

After a couple more snap shots Jebb came across a picture of Luke with his bride holding a tiny infant. So while his uncle had told him that Bo wasn't a father it didn't appear to be true of his oldest cousin. Next Jebb found pictures of Bo's wedding. Looking at the pictures he was surprised to see that the bride was the doctor who had seen him earlier in the day. So that was what Jesse had meant when he said that the woman was family.

There were more pictures; both of good times and bad. Jebb's heart broke for his cousin when he learned that Daisy had gotten married only to become a widow a mere six months later. Jesse had pictures of Daisy with her son and despite the hard times, Jebb knew that his cousin must love the fact that she was a mother. She'd dreamed of having kids since they were all little. He could still remember times when she would mother him and Bo while growing up.

In one picture Jebb saw Daisy with her son and the woman that Jesse had told him was his wife holding an infant as well.

"I thought that the twins were older than Daisy's kid."

"They are. That there is your daughter. Crystal and Jimmy were born on the same day. In fact, they've got a birthday comin' up."

Jebb's eyes went just a bit wide as he had to ask, "How many kids do I have?"

"Three. This little girl was a bit of a surprise. She came along when the boys were three. It's been great havin' all of the youngens out on the farms. Here I'd given up on you boys ever settlin' down and startin' families of your own and you three decided to prove me wrong, one right after another." Jesse grinned before adding, "And I've never been more thrilled to be proven wrong. To watch all of you become responsible family men; I've never been prouder."

He saw the truth in his uncle's eyes and a part of him was glad that he'd become a man that he could be proud of; even if Jebb himself couldn't remember any of it.

"So, what do I do now? How am I supposed to go about a life that I can't remember?"

"Kim said that this lapse in memory is likely just temporary. After you're discharged we'll try to surround you with things to trigger your memory. We'll just take it one day at a time. Your memory will come back in its own time."

"I hope so," Jebb said as he glanced down on the pages that depicted a life that seemed so foreign to him.

* * *

Kira braced herself before going into her husband's hospital room. Her husband who no longer knew her from any stranger off of the street. She knew that Jesse had put together a couple of photo albums to help jog Jebb's memory. She could only pray that it worked. After seeing her husband she still had to face her children and tell them that their father couldn't remember them.

How in the hell was she supposed to do that?

Kira waited until after her brother and cousins visited with Jebb. The family members that he could actually remember. Jesse hoped that seeing them would help Jebb come to terms with all that he'd missed. From what she heard, her husband's greatest reaction was to seeing Luke. It was as if he had just gotten out of the Marines all over again. Jebb's reaction had a clear effect on Luke when he left the room. Kira had watched as he left without stopping him. Instead she allowed Bo to go after their older cousin. She then waited for a while to let Jebb process everything that he'd learned from his cousins.

Walking into the hospital room, Kira felt more self-conscious than she could remember being in a long time. Especially around Jebb. When he noticed her he looked just a bit surprised to see her.

"Hey." Jebb put the album aside that his uncle had left for him and tried to figure out what he was supposed to say to the woman that he couldn't remember marrying.

"Hey. How are you feelin'? You know, with the head and the ribs?"

"Like I've been kicked in the head by a mule only to have a house fall in on me. How long was I out? You know, before I woke up earlier today?"

"Almost a day." Kira went to sit in the chair next to Jebb while trying to remember that he was feeling just as awkward, if not more so, than she was. "I'm sorry that I didn't notice that something was wrong earlier. I was just glad that you were awake."

"Don't worry about it." Jebb shifted a bit uncomfortably in the bed while trying to figure out just what he was supposed to say to his wife when he could barely remember her name. "So... uh... Jesse told me that we're, um, married."

"And the thought of it makes you feel a bit weird," Kira said for him. When he tried to mount a protest she stopped him. "It's alright. As far as you're concerned, you are sixteen with your whole life ahead of you. And if someone had told me that we ended up married back when I was sixteen I would have felt more than a bit uncomfortable, too."

Jebb couldn't help the small snicker that escaped at the comparison. "So how did we meet? If you don't mind me askin'."

"We both raced on the Motocross Circuit."

"So we, what? Hit it off right away or something?"

"Oh God, no. I couldn't stand you when we first met."

Jebb made a face as he heard Kira's statement. "Why not?"

"Let's just say that the Duke Ego is something of an acquired taste." Despite herself, Kira had to smile at the memory of the brash young man that Jebb had been when they had first met.

"Well if you thought that I was that bad then how did we end up together?"

"I guess you just didn't give me a chance to get rid of you. You were something that I just couldn't shake off. Like something on the bottom of my shoe," Kira teased just to see Jebb's reaction. She then sombered before she continued. "I had a lot of issues back then and didn't trust anyone. But when I stopped showing up during one season on the circuit due to cancer you came looking for me. Even later on when I got scared and left, you found me and made me realize that you weren't going anywhere."

Jebb saw the seriousness in Kira's eyes and instinctively knew that there was a lot that was being left unsaid.

"How long have we been married?"

"Nine years. The boys came along just after our first anniversary."

"Nine?" Jebb knew that he'd missed a lot but hearing that he'd been married for nearly a decade just hit him a bit harder than flipping through the photo album seeing pictures of people who were complete strangers to him.

"Yep. It will be ten the day after Christmas. And your mother has been pushing for a renewal of vows this year. That way she can be there this time. And of course she probably won't let us get away with wearing our jeans for this ceremony," Kira said while trying add a little levity to the moment.

"I saw the pictures and wondered about that. Jesse mentioned that my mom wasn't too keen on the two of us. Why is that?"

Kira leaned back as she took a deep breath while trying to figure out a way to explain it to Jebb without out it really freaking him out. "Well, when we were dating we didn't exactly do the whole meet the parents thing. I wasn't ready. Then just after you bought a ring and was ready to ask me to marry you, we found out that we were already related."

"Related?" Jebb sat forward just a bit more in surprise.

"Cousins, actually." Kira nodded to confirm that he'd heard her right. "I was kidnapped when I was three days old. I didn't find out until the week of Thanksgiving a month before we got married."

"Cousins? I don't remember anyone sayin' nothin' about a cousin being missing."

"I guess you could say that I was the family secret. The one that no one talked about."

Jebb couldn't believe that his family could have hidden such a big secret from the younger members of the family. "So who were your parents?"

"Michael and Crystal Duke. Mikey and Crystal were named after them."

"Bo's parents?" Jebb didn't know why he hadn't put the names of his kids together with his aunt and uncle. Clearly his other son's name came from his own father so it only stood to reason that the other children were namesakes of other members of the family as well.

"We're twins."

"Twins?" Jebb thought about his younger years when he'd visit the Duke Farm and how there were times that Bo had pretended that he had a sister. "How did you find out that we were related?"

"It's a long story. But the moment that your mother found out about us she practically had a heart attack. We ended up eloping and it took your mother two years to apologize for making that first year more than just a little bit difficult."

"I can believe it." Jebb scoffed at the idea of his mother admitting that she was wrong about anything.

For the next hour he listened to Kira tell him more about his life that he couldn't remember before she announced that she needed to leave so that she could get their children some dinner and talk to them about Jebb's return home scheduled for the next day. Physically, there was no reason to remain in the hospital now that the threat of concussion was over. Not to mention, the best thing for his memory was to be surrounded by his family with things that could trigger it. But that meant that the children needed to be prepared for the coming days.

Alone once more, Jebb flipped back through the albums while trying to see each picture with a bit of understanding after speaking with not only his uncle and cousins, but now his wife as well.


	3. Chapter 3

After going home to find her brother watching the kids Kira started to lay out dinner while trying to decide just how to tell her children about their father's condition. Meanwhile, Bo was out in the barn taking care of the daily chores that Jebb wasn't there to take care of. With him were the twins as they went about their own chores that they were expected to take care of daily as well. While Bo was chopping some firewood the boys joined him and asked him if he had heard anything about their father yet. Taking a break from the chopping, Bo glanced toward the house where his sister was at.

"Well, there is a couple of things. For one, your dad will be coming home tomorrow." Bo watched as both boys seemed relieved since he knew that they'd picked up on the fact that something was different from any of the other times that their father had been injured either during a race or any other time. Primarily because of the fact that they hadn't been allowed to go to the hospital today.

"So he wasn't hurt that bad?" Jay asked.

"Well, he has some busted ribs so he won't be able to get back to all of his chores too quickly but he also got a pretty good bump on the head," Bo stated while trying to figure out how he'd tell the boys what all that bump would entail. "In fact, I wanted to talk to you about that. The next couple of days may be a bit awkward. You see, that bump on the head was a might strong and is making it where your dad is having a hard time remembering some stuff. He's going to need you two to help him. You think that you can do that?"

"How much of a hard time remembering stuff?" Mikey exchanged a glance with his twin as he asked.

Bo let out a sigh since there was no good way to tell the boys what they wanted. "A lot. But it will only be for a little while. What we'll need to do when he gets home is try to jog his memory but we also need to be patient with him. Can you two help out when your father gets home?"

Both boys nodded cautiously before getting back to their chores. Once they were all done the boys bade their uncle goodbye and went inside for supper. Their little sister was carrying over the last plate to the table as she finished setting the table as was one of her chores. One that allowed her to help their mother and she was proud of. After the three children and their mother sat down for dinner Kira broached the plans for the next day.

"Tomorrow morning your dad will get to leave the hospital and come home."

"So Daddy is all better?" Crystal asked as she picked at her food on her plate. The twins exchanged looks as they waited for their mother to explain what had happened to their father. Their uncle had told them of his injuries and that he has some problems with his memory but it wasn't clear just how much.

"Not quite." Kira put her fork down as she tried to explain things for her five year old. "You know how sometimes when you have a really bad dream? Sometimes it is hard to remember where you are and what happened? Sometimes you don't even remember me for a few minutes right after you wake up?"

Crystal thought briefly before nodding.

"Your dad is sort of stuck in that moment before you fully wake up and you know everything will be alright. We'll just have to be real patient for a while. Help him remember stuff from time to time. Alright?" Kira asked her daughter while eyeing her sons to see if they understood as well. Once all three nodded she moved the conversation to a lighter subject. "In the meantime, what do you want for your birthday, Crystal?"

* * *

Jebb rode in silence as he stared out at the countryside and took in the slight changes that he knew that most in the town had long since gotten used to. He saw where the Johnson's barn had been replaced some time ago. The old windmill out at the Younger's place must have finally collapsed and was removed. Instead of replacing it there was a small house on that same plot of land. It even looked like the old mill was back in full production and he saw dozens of cars parked outside that showed just how many employees the mill once more employed. As the truck got closer to the Duke family farm he was surprised when Jesse steered toward the old Hanson farm instead.

"Why are we going here?"

"When you and Kira got married, she let you decide where the two of you would make your home. You surprised her and bought the old Hanson farm and got it up and running again; made a real success of it, too."

A lot of questions floated through Jebb's head but he knew that was something that he'd have to get used to for a while. Instead of asking questions like how he could have afforded to buy a whole farm, especially one right next to his uncle's farm, he let it go for now.

When the truck pulled up into the farmyard Jebb saw several cars but one caught his attention the most. It was an orange car that was painted up like a race car. That had to be the car that his cousins had told him about when they visited with him the day before. Apparently, according to them, his own car looked very similar, only a different color. Off to the side Jebb saw a few picnic tables set up for a party; his _Welcome Home Party_. Funny, but he didn't feel like he was going home.

"Are you ready for this?" Jesse asked after he parked just beyond the other cars in the yard.

Jebb reluctantly nodded. He opened the door of the truck and stepped out into the farmyard to be greeted by the mixture of both familiar family members and complete strangers whom he'd apparently cared for very deeply just days prior.

When he got out of the truck he reached forward to hug his parents who were there waiting with his cousins as the women that he now knew to be Bo and Luke's wives. Next to Luke's wife was their little girl while Daisy's son was with her; none of whom Jebb could remember the names of. And of course there were his wife and three kids. The youngest of which sent herself hurling his way before he'd even registered that she was running in his direction. When she latched onto his leg his hand rested on top of her head instinctively as he glanced at his family around him.

Fortunately, his mother stepped forward and knelt beside the little girl before the awkwardness of the situation could really be felt by anyone other than him.

"Crystal, remember what your mother said about your father still being hurt. He won't be able to pick you up until his ribs get to feeling better."

Jebb wasn't sure if his mother had used the girl's name for his benefit or not but he was grateful since it meant that he wouldn't have to see her face fall when she realized that he didn't know it. Of course there were still his sons that he needed to remember the names of, as well.

The family made their way to the picnic tables for dinner to enjoy the breeze in the late July evening. While each family member spoke Jebb noticed that they constantly used one another's names; an act to benefit him, he was sure. Another thing that he noticed was that, with the exception of his daughter who seemed oblivious to his condition, his wife and sons each seemed to be a little less talkative than the rest of the family. He wished he could remember if they were naturally introverts or the fact that they each knew that he had no memory of them was the reason. He had a sneaky suspicion that it was the latter.

At least when dinner was over he could do one thing that felt normal; or at least he thought that he'd be able to do it. He headed out to the barn to help with the evening chores. As the two eight year olds started to milk the goats and feed the other animals Bo was quick to remind him that with his cracked ribs that it'd be best to not get back to work just yet. He wasn't ready to go back inside with the rest of the family but staying out in the barn had a way of making him feel fairly useless. His own kids were more help in taking care of the chores than he was at the moment.

After going inside he watched as his mother helped to clean the kitchen up. The whole time he could hear his wife and mother bicker with one another. Though as he listened the bickering didn't really come off as being mean-spirited. It was as if there was some inside joke that he was missing. Missing along with everything else, lately.

Jebb was so engrossed in watching his mother and wife getting the kitchen put back together that he was taken by surprise when his father walked up behind him. When he asked Jebb how he was doing he considered trying to shrug off the unfamiliarity of everything but at the last second he changed his mind. Why lie? He was out of his depth and everyone knew it.

"It all seems so strange. Like I went to bed about to be a sophmore in high school and then the next minute I wake up and half my life is just gone and replaced by someone else's. I don't have a clue about what I'm supposed to be doing now."

"It will get easier. I promise."

Jebb exchanged a wary glance with his father before nodding. He sure hoped that it'd get easier. What's more, he hoped that his memory returned soon so that he could wake up from this odd dream of being a man with an instant family.

Since he couldn't help out with the chores Jebb headed upstairs to get a look at his home while hoping that it would help to jog his memory. When he got to the end of the hallway he could hear his daughter playing with Luke's and Daisy's kids. He really felt sorry for Daisy's son since both of the girls had convinced him to play their game of choice for the day, Tea Party. Briefly he thought about trying to rescue him from his female cousins but he knew that it'd be a bit difficult at the moment since he couldn't even remember the poor boy's name. Instead he watched from the hall as the three drank their imaginary tea as they chatted with various dolls who had been invited to sit at the table with them.

Jebb shook his head, glad that he'd never been roped into doing anything as humiliating as dressing up and playing tea party with any of the few female Dukes in the family. He'd been fortunate that both his sister and Daisy had outgrown that phase before he'd been old enough to join in the play.

After leaving the tea party behind Jebb roamed into what had to be his sons' room. There were toy cars and such off to the side of the room to make a clear spot in the middle of their room. That must count as cleaning their room since that had always been his criteria for whether or not the room was clean; could you get around without stepping on anything? Yes? Then the room is clean enough. Jebb could tell that his boys had different personalities based sheerly on their room. One side was just a touch cleaner than the other. Not to mention that one bed had everything from toys to clothes stuffed underneath while the other only had a few dust bunnies beneath it. Jebb figured he'd have to try to guess later on which one was the messier of the two.

The next room appeared to be made up as a guest room so Jebb went on to the last room on that side of the hall. After stepping inside he glanced around the room that he shared with his wife. What was her name again? The room was neat as a pin which had to mean that his wife preferred for things to be in order since, while he'd not consider himself a pig, he'd never really bothered to go overboard either. Like with his bed, why make it up if the only thing he'll do is climb back in later on anyway. No one else should know if his bed was made up since you don't just go into random people's bedrooms anyway. If he wanted leave his sheets untucked since they were more comfortable that way then he should be able to leave them that way without his mother, or anyone else, complaining.

Glancing around the room, Jebb felt uncomfortable. Like he was intruding on someone else's space. Walking back out, he decided to wander the rest of the house instead. He ended up in the attic and started to look through various boxes that had been stored there. He found trophies from various races as well as things that had likely belonged to his children before they'd outgrown them. He also found more photo albums so he sat down to look through them to get glimpses of the life that he couldn't remember having. He found pictures of him and the boys out in a pond as he was tossing one of them further out into the water. Another with them sitting on the bank with his cousins fishing. He even found one of Bo holding one of the kids when they were just babies and it looked like he'd just been thrown up on. That was one thing he could remember about his sisters. It seemed that babies always had something coming out of them in one form or another.

Putting the book of pictures down, Jebb wondered just how long it would take for him to have any recollection of the events that were caught on film in there.


End file.
